A helicopter pilot filed for and flew an IFR flight with a non IFR certified aircraft!

Attributes
ACN	524771
Time
Date	200109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Bell Helicopter Textron Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	524771
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was requested to pick up patient at ZZZ. Aircraft is VFR only. Several attempts to file VFR were discouraged by flight service upon each individual request. Our EMS pilots began filing IFR to cut down on the red tape. I filed IFR thru flight service. I filed at 2500 ft from zza to ZZZ and back to zza. I was assigned 4000 ft by approach and handed off to center. Upon arrival at ZZZ I could not complete a VFR approach due to fog at the location. I initiated a 180 degree turn to return to zza. In so doing, I believed I was still operating VFR as a life guard aircraft, but I climbed 1000 ft during the turn. I filed IFR to 'streamline' the process, but didn't ensure flight service understood I was a VFR only aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI PLT FILED FOR AND FLEW AN IFR FLT WITH A NON IFR CERTIFIED ACFT!

Narrative: ACFT WAS REQUESTED TO PICK UP PATIENT AT ZZZ. ACFT IS VFR ONLY. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FILE VFR WERE DISCOURAGED BY FLT SERVICE UPON EACH INDIVIDUAL REQUEST. OUR EMS PLTS BEGAN FILING IFR TO CUT DOWN ON THE RED TAPE. I FILED IFR THRU FLT SERVICE. I FILED AT 2500 FT FROM ZZA TO ZZZ AND BACK TO ZZA. I WAS ASSIGNED 4000 FT BY APCH AND HANDED OFF TO CENTER. UPON ARRIVAL AT ZZZ I COULD NOT COMPLETE A VFR APCH DUE TO FOG AT THE LOCATION. I INITIATED A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO ZZA. IN SO DOING, I BELIEVED I WAS STILL OPERATING VFR AS A LIFE GUARD ACFT, BUT I CLIMBED 1000 FT DURING THE TURN. I FILED IFR TO 'STREAMLINE' THE PROCESS, BUT DIDN'T ENSURE FLT SERVICE UNDERSTOOD I WAS A VFR ONLY ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.